Falsehood that Saudi Arabia funds extremist madrassas & mosques: Saud bin Mohammed Al-Saty

On the same day that the world's largest democracy embarked on its election, the Saudi Ambassador to India — HE Saud bin Mohammed Al-Saty — refuted campaign claims that money funding Wahhabi extremism to India was being routed though Saudi and said, "We are with India on its concerns about security. Irrespective of the dispensation in power, we work closely with the governments before donating any money to anybody. It is a complete falsehood that Saudi Arabia funds extremist madrassas and mosques." He was in India for an official visit and in an interview with DNA, also elaborated on women's rights, gender rights, and the Khashoggi case.

Speaking on women rights, he said, "Overall, there are efforts to improve work opportunities for women across sectors. Saudi women are in-charge at immigration desks, airline counters, hotels, shopping centres and so on. Both our stock market and our largest bank are currently headed by women." However, prodded about the widely-criticised Brunei law over stoning of homosexuals, he simply said, "I'm not concerned about what Brunei is doing and can't comment on that, but in the Kingdom, we have the Sharia law and we go by what is prescribed."